§ Mr. Teddy Taylorasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what evidence he has of additional health hazards to the general public, including the incidence of cancers, in areas near to nuclear power installations; and if he will make a statement;
(2) what assessment he makes of the health hazards to the neighbouring population arising from the existence of nuclear power installations in the United Kingdom on the neighbouring population on the basis of the evidence available to him from statistical returns or other such information on the health of the population.
§ Mr. WhitneyOn the basis of current evidence I am advised that there is no established causal link between nuclear power installations and the incidence of disease in populations near to them. However, there are a number of studies currently in progress into the incidence of cancers in the United Kingdom. These include studies of areas both around and remote from nuclear establishments. The results of these will be considered by the Committee on the Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment as they become available.
The establishment of COMARE was announced by my right hon. and learned Friend on 25 July 1985, at column 771, with the objective of offering Government independent medical and scientific advice on the health effects of natural and man-made radiation in the environment.
§ Mr. Teddy Taylorasked the Secretary of State for Social Services which areas of the United Kingdom have the highest incidences of those forms of cancer which have been correlated with atomic radiation; and whether any of these areas are in the immediate vicinity of nuclear power installations.
§ Mr. WhitneyThe information is not immediately available in the form requested, but will be extracted for local authority district areas for 1984. I shall let my hon. Friend have the results as soon as they are available.